Having trouble with your Festool power tool? Well, we're here to help you. Before posting to the forum, give us a chance to diagnose and resolve your issue. In the U.S. and Canada, call us toll-free at 888-337-8600 on Monday-Friday between 8a-5p EST or contact us via email at service@festoolusa.com. For other countries, please visit http://www.festool.com for contact information for your local Festool service department.

Festool USA does not pre-approve the contents of this website nor endorse the application or use of any Festool product in any way other than in the manner described in the Festool Instruction Manual. To reduce the risk of serious injury and/or damage to your Festool product, always read, understand and follow all warnings and instructions in your Festool product's Instruction Manual. Although Festool strives for accuracy in the website material, the website may contain inaccuracies. Festool makes no representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness or timeliness of the material on this website or about the results to be obtained from using the website. Festool and its affiliates cannot be responsible for improper postings or your reliance on the website's material. Your use of any material contained on this website is entirely at your own risk. The content contained on this site is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.

Ok this thread is making my head hurt... I need something clarified. I just purchased a ts75 and an MFT3. I dont have the money for the vac system right now. Is there an issue with buying a hose or adaptor to hook my craftsman shop vac up to the ts75? I havent even unboxed anything yet so I still have time to return it all if I am going to run into problems. This is way too much money to have to worry about static electricity ruining it. Thanks

I received the UDD upgrade kit in the mail today. I filled out their online request form on dec 13. I'd say that's pretty darn good considering the holidays, it was free and I didn't even provide them with a receipt. I'm very happy with their service and product. I recommend this to anyone interested in the dust deputy

Tom - no worries on using a Craftsman vac with your Festool saw. I used and sometimes still use a Rigid vac with my tracksaw without any worries. The issue/ potential issue is with a Festool vac and some form of cyclone between these tools. I forgot to mention I used a Dustright Vortex between my track saw and Rigid vac without any issues. I don't use the Vortex when running my CT36.

In all fairness as previously posted this thread has been about damage to the CT's presumably caused by static electricity when used in combination with the Ultimate Dust Deputy - not about tools like the TS-75 being damaged. That being said, the warranty statement from Festool that Shane posted early in the thread does not differentiate between CT's and other tools. So, if your tool is damaged (as you ask) by static electricity while using a non Festool product hooked up to it then there is a real chance that the damage would not be covered by the Festool warranty.

That might seem extreme or unusual to some but it is normal for manufacturers to have exclusions. They have to. If I hook up a battery charger to my wife's car incorrectly and do damage I assure you that the damage will not be covered by her GM warranty.

Not trying to be an alarmist, I personally would take the risk and do what you are prescribing to do, but there is a risk.

Well if it is the CT dust collector that is getting toasted I guess I wont worry about saving my pennies to go buy one... As far as festool not differentiating between the CT and other tools it really makes me wonder....Never was I told before purchasing, nor anywhere in the manual that I can see, does it state you can only use festool brand dust collection with their tools. If that were the case I surely would have second thought the purchase. If there truly is a real issue here, festool needs to man up and fix the problem. To steal your GM comparison, the ignition switches were not designed as hangers for big wads of keys but none the less they were aware of the problem, and thus responsible for it. To acknowledge a problem and not address that problem in a constructive way is no way to do business.

I think that this last post misses the point. No manufacturer can cover every possible use of their tools in any warranty statement otherwise it would be 100s of pages long. "...and owners of the TS75 cannot throw their tools off the top of a cliff or use it under water."

Festool have made an honest statement, on this forum as a result of a query from a FOGger, that they do not recommend that a DD be used with their CTs and will not cover static discharge damage. That is perfectly reasonable.

I use a DD connected to my CT and I take the risk. I know that the risk is my responsibility as I have read Festool's statements here on the FOG.

No Im honestly not missing the point. The tools are equipped for dust collection. (Officially) The retailer nor the manufacturer have said that only festool brand dust collection can be used. If I hadn't stumbled across this thread online how would I or anyone else know of such limitations? The point I think that is being missed is that festool has a problem with their product and is failing to address that problem. I dont think any customer would find it reasonable to use their tool under water, but I do think most everyone would find it reasonable to use aftermarket dust collection with a tool equipped for dust collection, unless warned not to do so by the manufacturer up front. A post on a message board is certainly not adequate.

Loads of people are using non Festool extractors with their Festool tools - I use one of my Numatics with my TS55 and I don't think that anyone has an issue with that. The problem comes with the plastic cyclone extractors, perhaps like the Dust Deputy, that may make static build up more likely. These cyclones are not extractors, they are interceptors that fit between the tool and the extractor. They do not have the continuous earthing that Festool extractors and hoses have built-in which is a weakness.

I believe Peter's posting has caused some misunderstanding in this discussion. First off, Shane's warranty comment did not state that using aftermarket accessories or tools would void a warranty. It simply stated that if those accessories were the cause of damage, then the repair may not be covered by warranty. This is typical for any warranty.

Separately, there is also some confusion about static. Static in itself isn't causing damage, and there is little risk to the tool itself. Using non-antistatic components doesn't necessarily pose any problems. The unique issue with the Dust Deputy is that it was placing a non-conductive break in an otherwise conductive path. If the entire path were non-conductive (non-antistatic) then it wouldn't be an issue. It is this break in an otherwise conductive system that poses the risk because it can result in a sudden discharge across the DD body, which is conductively connected to the vacuum. This discharge goes toward the vacuum, not toward the tool.

The current model of the UDD has a conductive cyclone and as far as I know all conductive connections, hoses, etc. The original UDD I purchased had the plastic cyclone and hoses that were non-conductive but, Oneida has replaced all of those parts free of charge with conductive parts. I have had my CT22 since the first Domino joiner hit the market and I have had no problems using the UDD with it (at my own risk). I sure like the convenience of having a large collector box between my tools and my CT22 dust bag which hasn't been changed in two years. I would like to give credit to Oneida Air Systems for quickly acting to fix any actual or perceived static discharge issues quickly and upgrading existing customers with upgrade kits free of charge.

When I'm winding the operating table up to the ceiling and opening the dome in the thunderstorm so the life-giving lightning can lick around the body on the table, the Master keeps me chained to the floor of the laboratory. I believe this is so that static in the air can drain to ground through me, keeping us all safe. The Master calls it a grounding strap.

Would I be better off with an insulated chain instead?

Logged

Sys4 with cheese sandwich, a small pork pie with Tabasco sauce, a nice bottle of dry, vintage Prosecco and three reusable ice packs. Olives with pimento and a capon, roast in Dijon mustard. Several slices of fresh pineapple, a scale model of the Eiffel tower made from noodles, black forest gateau and a gingham table cloth for the MFT-3. A block of Parmesan and a Stanley 2" chisel for grating.Sys3 with a half bottle of La Fée Absinthe, a spoon and vodka-soaked mint with Rothenberger blow-torch.125 year old balsamic vinegar in spray bottle.Ibuprofen and a pair of handcuffs. 2 loaves, 5 (very) small fishes, some bread, broken. A goblet of blood-red wine, a hammer... nails

When I'm winding the operating table up to the ceiling and opening the dome in the thunderstorm so the life-giving lightning can lick around the body on the table, the Master keeps me chained to the floor of the laboratory. I believe this is so that static in the air can drain to ground through me, keeping us all safe. The Master calls it a grounding strap.

Separately, there is also some confusion about static. Static in itself isn't causing damage, and there is little risk to the tool itself. Using non-antistatic components doesn't necessarily pose any problems. The unique issue with the Dust Deputy is that it was placing a non-conductive break in an otherwise conductive path. If the entire path were non-conductive (non-antistatic) then it wouldn't be an issue. It is this break in an otherwise conductive system that poses the risk because it can result in a sudden discharge across the DD body, which is conductively connected to the vacuum. This discharge goes toward the vacuum, not toward the tool.

Thats interesting Rick

I was examining my AS hose and AS hose connectors the other day with a view to extending them over a boom Arm and looking to ensure the entire path back to the CT Midi would be conductive. When I placed a continuity meter over the AS hose and fittings they were not conductive anywhere as far as I could tell. I came to the conclusion they were isolating the machine from static rather than providing a path to ground. I'm no expert in this subject matter so maybe I'm missing something, is the purpose of Antistatic hose to carry static back to the machine for grounding or is it to not build static charge up in large quantities and risk charging the debris entering the machine?